1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to gloves, and more particularly to a work glove having means for magnetically attracting and retaining work components against an outer surface of the glove for easy access during an assembly, construction or other operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The difficulties associated with the handling of small metal components during various construction and assembly-related operations are well known. In particular, the need to use both hands simultaneously during such operations makes it difficult for workmen to hold even a small quantity of components in-hand for easy access. For example, driving a nail into a work piece initially requires two hands to start the nail into the work piece. Similarly, many assembly operations, such as the attachment of a threaded fastener to a work piece or to another threaded component, require the simultaneous use of both hands. Handling components during such operations is further compounded when a worker is required to wear gloves for hand protection, since the gloves tend to interfere with the workers ability to grip and manipulate the components. For the aforementioned reasons, workmen commonly maintain or store components in a container, apron pouch or other component holder, drawing one component at a time. The inefficiencies concomitant with continuously reaching into a component holder during the performance of a repetitive operation adds considerably to the time to perform the operation.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a means for maintaining an excess quantity of components proximate to the hands of a worker in a manner enabling the worker to access the components in a quicker and more efficient manner.
The present invention provides a work glove having a pocket, pouch or other containment means disposed on an interior or exterior surface of the glove body. One or more magnets are retained within the pocket for attracting and retaining work components against a portion of the exterior glove surface.
In one aspect of the present invention, the pocket contains multiple magnets separated by a magnetically insulating material for magnetically isolating adjacent magnets from one another.
In another aspect of the present invention, the pocket is constructed by directly securing at least part of the periphery of a flexible material directly to the exterior glove surface.
In another aspect of the present invention, the pocket is constructed from upper and lower pocket layers secured to one another at least partially about their peripheries, with the pocket attached directly to the exterior surface of the glove body.
In another aspect of the present invention, the pocket is provided having means for releasable attachment to the exterior surface of the glove body.
In another aspect of the present invention, the pocket construction enables selective access to an interior pocket space.
In another aspect of the present invention, magnets are provided disposed within fingertip portions of the glove to facilitate gripping of components during a construction or assembly operation.
These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow.